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Speltshire
Speltshire, or it's official name as the Farmers' Republic of Speltshire, is a city-state in the south-east corner of Silea Ravni on the island of Hvede. A self-described "yeoman autocracy", Speltshire is an agrarian society that practices diplomatic nonalignment and international trade. Farming is considered the most noble of endeavors in Speltshire and its crops are the nation's main commodity. Speltshire follows no state religion and instead calls for freedom of worship for all of its citizens, unconcerned with the conflict between Order and Chaos. Origins The first settlers of Speltshire arrived from across the Harvester's Channel from the mainland of Silea Ravni several generations ago. A collection of migrants leaving lands wrought by plague and famine, these settlers constructed a ship to bring them across the channel to the island of Hvede. Here they found fertile soil, abundant wildlife and a rich land ready to be tamed.The memory of hunger and poverty still fresh in their minds, the farmers among the new settlers set forth establishing the first fields on the island. The most prominent of these farmers, Cale Greenwood, soon became the leader of the settlement and eventually Speltshire's first Executor. As the farmers of Speltshire tamed their new land, they found that Hvede had been home to some form of older civilization before them. Aside from the remains of wooden huts and abandoned shacks, the only thing left behind by this long gone people was a single stone statue. Scarce and fragmented records from the previous inhabitants seemed to indicate the statue was the subject of their religion in a sort of tribal idol worship The "Idol of Hvede" as it became known as, was a point of curiosity and wonder for the settlers of Speltshire who let the statue remain where it laid buried so as not to disrespect the previous inhabitants of the island. As time went on, Speltshire began to make contact with the outside world for trade through successive executors - adhering to the principles of laissez faire and tariff-free commerce. As Speltshire's connection with the outside world grew, the city-state began to establish treaties and trading partners with the other nations of Silea Ravni. Although a relative newcomer to the world stage, lacking any significant amount of prestige and devoid of impressive military might, it's fair approach to trade and commitment to providing food to those who need it has brought the humble nation a period of peace, prosperity and growth. Flag & Anthem "The Red Cross On Gold" is the flag of Speltshire. The flag consists of a dark red cross laid over a yellow field with black borders to the cross. The yellow field symbolizes the wheat fields of Speltshire, the main crop and namesake of the nation. The red cross can be interpreted in several ways - some say it represents the crossing of the mainland and sea to Hvede during the original settling. Others say it represents the "blood" of the farmers who work across the fields of Speltshire. The exact origin of the red cross on the Speltshire flag is still a subject of some debate with no clear evidence supporting one or the other. The national anthem of Speltshire is "The Red Cross On Gold", a traditional folk song composed by the early settlers of Hvede in honor of their flag. It speaks of the simplicity and tranquility of farming life while also invoking images of home for sailors embarking onto ships out of Speltshire. Lyrics On the isle of Hvede, in the land of Speltshire, On a pleasant evening, on a Harvest Day, I spied a damsel, she was young and handsome, Her beauty nearly took, my breathe away, She wore no jewels, nor costly diamonds, Her hair as shining, as Speltshire Bay, But she wore a bonnet, with a ribbon on it, And on it was the, red cross on gold. We kept on walking, she kept on talking, 'Till her father’s cottage, came into view. Says she: ‘Come in, sir, and meet my father, And go show to him, the crops you grew'. It was early, early, early next morning, I went a sailed from, those fields so gold, She sighed and kissed me, and she said: “Goodbye sir”, But my heart remains with, that red cross on gold. Military While the Farmer's Republic maintains no standing army, citizens of Speltshire can be called upon in times of emergency to form a militia for the nation's defense. Those unable or unwilling to actively serve when the militia is raised are required to compensate their waived service with materials to help the war effort. The government maintains a policy of nonintervention, nonalignment and nonaggression - seeking to use it's military forces for defense of the nation entirely. Speltshire maintains a small merchant fleet for trade, escort and anti-piracy. It does not take part or condone privateers. The Speltshire Merchant Navy is comprised mostly of sloops with the exception its flagship, the Mary Ellen Carter, which is a brigantine. The Mary Ellen Carter was designed as an upgraded design of the Marine Electric, the original ship that transported the founders of Speltshire to Hvede. Notable Locations Speltshire Town Hall and Landsmand Market The town hall of Speltshire was constructed at the tail-end of the initial founding of the republic and served initially as just a meeting house. As the government took on more form and the title of executor was created, a building of government was required and the meeting house was expanded. The clock tower was dedicated to the first executor, Kilroy Sterling. Directly in front of the town hall is Landsmand Market, a large plaza of stalls and shops that line the streets heading towards the northern docks. Landsmand Market is also home to Speltshire's auction house which is used for bulk trading and auctioning of specialty goods. Sark Tithes Memorial Library of Speltshire Sark Tithes was the longest living member of the original settlement party of Speltshire. A learned man of educated background, Sark Tithes served originally as the town scribe and later expanded this role and his collection of writings into what would become the library named in his honor. Passing away at the age of one hundred three, he left behind a large collection of literature, personal writings and town records that were consolidated and named in his honor. The Sark Tithes Memorial Library continues to serve as a place of knowledge and learning for the citizens of the Farmers' Republic. Yuri Shipyard The Yuri Shipyard is a dry dock and ship assembly area run by the Speltshire Merchant Navy and established by the renowned Captain Yuri of Speltshire, the captain of the Mary Ellen Carter. A prominent sailor and privateer in his youth, he has since retired from the vigorous life of sailing and now oversees the development of Speltshire's naval ambitions. Captain Yuri was the man who designed the standard sloops used by the Merchant Navy and built the shipyard to efficiently streamline their production. Captain Yuri retains his command of the Mary Ellen Carter as a ceremonial position and in the case of his seamanship being required in the near-future. Speltshire Mage Institute A place of arcane research and practice, the Mage Institute seeks to further the understand of Life magic and use it's application to help the common man and aid the farmers of Speltshire in their work. Students and teachers of the institute take a vow not to use their magical arts for combat or violence, instead pursuing only the beneficial aspects of magic application. The Nordholde Located at the northern end of Speltshire Bay, the Nordholde acts as the city's final line of defense in the event of an assault or siege. The keep is not regularly manned with more than a bare bones contingent of militiamen but can be rigorously defend by the city's defenders if required. Constructed on a rocky outcropping extending into the sea, the keep offers a decent defensive position and room to hold the entire population of Speltshire until trouble has passed. The Nordholde has only seen one, brief engagement following a pirate scare some forty years ago when Speltshire Bay was terrorized by the Dread Pirate George. Since that time, the keep has remain standing and ready to be used at a moment's notice. Lufthavn Tower In order to facilitate trade to the ends of the world without sea access, viable harbors or dangerous waters, the people of Speltshire constructed a large docking tower for airships. The Lufthavn acts as a nexus of travel for the air lanes of the world and currently hosts routes to three nations: Torrescura, Eisenthal and Emperion. Clair de Lune Brewery One of the largest structures in Speltshire, the Clair de Lune stands as a testament to the ambition and dedication of the farming folk of the republic. Headed by ToraHowaito, the Clair de Lune is the premiere producer of alcoholic products in Speltshire and perhaps the world by sheer volume. Fed ingredients by the farms of Speltshire, it has helped the city-state become an exporter of some of the finest distilled spirits and brews in all of Silea Ravni. San Hieronymo A testament to the business-minded philosophies of the Farmers' Republic of Speltshire and the mysterious Anonyme Sans Frontieres, the executor agreed to the construction of a forward operating base, or FOB, to be established in the Full Montys off the western coast of Hvede. Acting as both a deterrent and a link between these two powers, San Hieronymo has been taken to being a symbol of cooperation and a connection to the larger, outside world beyond the shores of Hvede for the people of Speltshire. Speltshire Adventurer's Guild Hall The Speltshire's Adventurer's Guild was established by several prominent citizens in recent years. A relatively new establishment, the guild was formed to better coordinate the more wanderlust stricken members of the Farmers' Republic who yearned for glory, riches and fame in an otherwise cozy, relaxed society. That being said, the Guild was given the Executor's blessing to carry on it's duties as both a source of income and a way to keep the city's militia constantly trained should it ever need to be rallied. The Adventurer's Guild offers free membership to all Speltshire residents that wish to join while routinely organizing expeditions both inside and outside the nation. The Guild's primary and original goal is to locate the legendary Bone Zone - an otherworldly realm that the Guild's in-circle claims to have uncovered only once in the darkest depths of the Nether before it mysteriously vanished. Documents Speltshire Charter This charter proclaims the founding of Speltshire and outlines the rights and obligations of its citizens. Harvester's Compact A defensive pact set up for the nations of the Harvester's Channel for mutual defense, free trade and non-aggressive cooperation. The current members of the Compact are Speltshire, Winchester, Remissis and Heldensagen.Category:Country Category:Current